Smart fortwo coupe and smart fortwo cabriolet electric drive (2015). Instruction - page 2

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Safety.

Occupant safety ................................ 30
Panic alarm ..................................... 45
Driving safety systems ....................... 46
Anti-theft systems ............................ 48

Occupant safety
Introduction

The smart vehicle is equipped with seat

belts and dual stage air bags to protect you

in a crash. However, children can be killed

or seriously injured by an inflating air

bag. Indeed, there is a stronger risk of

serious death or bodily injury when an air

bag deploys on a child positioned in a

rear-facing child seat in the passenger

seat. Because this vehicle has only two

front seats and no backseat, it is limited as

are other two-seat vehicles, in the extent

to which it may restrain children traveling

in the passenger front seat. Many states

have laws against placing children of cer-

tain ages in the front seat of a vehicle that

has both front and back seats. Those laws

make exceptions to permit children to be

restrained in the front seat of two seat

vehicles. Special instructions and warn-

ings are provided below about when and if

you may restrain a child in the passenger

seat of the smart vehicle. Under certain

circumstances, it is appropriate for the

passenger air bag not to operate when a

child is restrained in a car seat in the

passenger seat, and this vehicle is equip-

ped with technology to accomplish this.

Please pay very close attention to the

instructions and warnings below, particu-

larly as they relate to children.
In this section you will learn the most

important facts about the restraint system

components of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are:

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Seat belts (

Y

page 31)

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Child restraints (

Y

page 42)

Additional protection potential is provi-

ded by:

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Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)

with

-

Air bags (

Y

page 33)

-

Air bag control unit (with crash sen-

sors)

-

Emergency Tensioning Devices and

seat belt force limiters (

Y

page 33)

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Air bag system components with

-

Passenger front air bag off indicator

lamp (

Y

page 41)

-

Passenger seat with Occupant Classi-

fication System (OCS) (

Y

page 39)

Although independent systems, their pro-

tective functions work in conjunction with

each other.

i

For information on infants and chil-

dren traveling with you in the vehicle

and restraint systems for infants and

children, see “Children in the vehicle”

(

Y

page 42).

The SRS system conducts a self-test when

the ignition is switched on and in regular

intervals while the engine is running. This

facilitates detection of malfunctions. The

SRS indicator lamp 6 in the instrument

cluster comes on when the ignition is

switched on and goes out after approx-

imately four seconds.
The SRS components are in operational

readiness if the SRS indicator lamp 6

is not lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been detec-

ted if the SRS indicator lamp 6

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fails to go out after approximately 4 sec-

onds after the ignition was switched on

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does not come on at all

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comes on after the engine was started or

while driving

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WARNING

Modifications to or work improperly con-

ducted on restraint systems (such as seat

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Occupant safety

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Safety.

belts and anchors, Emergency Tensioning

Devices, seat belt force limiters or air

bags) or their wiring, as well as tampering

with interconnected electronic systems,

can lead to the restraint systems no longer

functioning as intended. Air bags or Emer-

gency Tensioning Devices, for example,

could deploy inadvertently or fail to

deploy in accidents in which they other-

wise should deploy (although the deceler-

ation threshold for air bag deployment is

exceeded). Therefore, never modify the

restraint systems. Do not tamper with elec-

tronic components or their software.

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WARNING

In the event that the SRS indicator lamp

6 comes on while driving or does not

come on at all, the SRS self-check has

detected a malfunction. For your safety, we

strongly recommend that you immediately

but safely pull the vehicle off of the road-

way and stop driving. Contact an authorized

electric drive smart center immediately to

have the system checked; otherwise the SRS

may not deploy when needed in an accident,

which could result in serious or fatal

injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and

unnecessarily which could also result in

injury.
In addition, improper repair work on the

SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS

inoperative or causing unintended air bag

deployment. Work on the SRS must therefore

only be performed by qualified techni-

cians. Contact an authorized electric drive

smart center. If it is necessary to modify an

air bag system to accommodate a person

with disabilities, contact your local

authorized electric drive smart center.

Seat belts

The use of seat belts and infant and child

restraint systems is required by law in all

50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S.

territories and all Canadian provinces and

territories.
Even where this is not the case, all vehicle

occupants should have their seat belts fas-

tened whenever the vehicle is being oper-

ated.
For more information, see “Fastening the

seat belts” (

Y

page 62).

i

For information on infants and chil-

dren traveling with you in the vehicle

and restraint systems for infants and

children, see “Children in the vehicle”

(

Y

page 42).

G

WARNING

Always fasten your seat belt before driving.

Always make sure all of your passengers are

properly restrained.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and

position your seat belt greatly increases

your risk of injuries and their likely

severity in an accident. You and your

passenger should always wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries

can be considerably more severe without

your seat belt properly buckled.
Without your seat belt buckled, you are

much more likely to hit the interior of the

vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be

seriously injured or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury

or death is lessened if you are properly

wearing your seat belt. Air bags can only

protect you if you are properly wearing

your seat belt.

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WARNING

Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat

backrest in an excessively reclined posi-

tion as this can be dangerous. You could

slide under the seat belt in a collision. If

you slide under it, the belt would apply

force at the abdomen or neck, causing seri-

ous or even fatal injuries. The seat back-

rest and seat belt provide the best

restraint when the wearer is in a position

Occupant safety

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Safety.

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that is as upright as possible and the belt

is properly positioned on the body.

G

WARNING

Never let more people ride in the vehicle

than there are seat belts available. Make

sure everyone riding in the vehicle is cor-

rectly restrained with a separate seat belt.

Never use a seat belt for more than one per-

son at a time.

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WARNING

Seat belts of a vehicle involved in an acci-

dent must be inspected by smart. Only then

is it possible to determine whether the seat

belts were damaged or stressed in the acci-

dent. Damaged or stressed seat belts may

not properly protect you in a subsequent

accident.
Only use seat belts which have been

approved by smart.
Do not make any modifications to the seat

belts. This can lead to unintended activa-

tion of the Emergency Tensioning Devices

(ETDs) or to their failure to activate when

necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may

severely weaken them. In a crash, they may

not be able to provide adequate protection.
Have all work carried out only by qualified

technicians. Contact an authorized elec-

tric drive smart center.

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WARNING

USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY

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Seat belts can only work when used prop-

erly. Never wear seat belts in any other

way than as described in this section, as

that could result in serious injuries in

case of an accident.

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Each occupant should wear their seat belt

at all times, because seat belts help

reduce the likelihood of and potential

severity of injuries in accidents,

including rollovers. The integrated

restraint system includes SRS (driver

front air bag, passenger front air bag,

head-thorax air bags) and Emergency

Tensioning Devices (ETDs) with seat belt

force limiters.
The system is designed to enhance the

protection provided by secured seat

belts in certain frontal and side

impacts.

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Never wear the shoulder belt under your

arm, against your neck or off your shoul-

der. Doing so may cause your body to move

too far forward in a frontal crash, which

would increase the chance of head and

neck injuries. The seat belt would also

apply too much force to the ribs or abdo-

men, which could severely injure inter-

nal organs such as your liver or spleen.

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Never wear seat belts over rigid or

breakable objects in or on your clothing,

such as eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as

these might cause injuries.

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Position the lap belt as low as possible

on your hips and not across the abdomen.

If the lap seat belt is positioned across

your abdomen, it could cause serious

injuries in a crash.

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Never use a seat belt for more than one

person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt

around a person and another person or

other objects at the same time.

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Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In

a crash, you would not have the full width

of the seat belt to manage impact forces.

The twisted seat belt against your body

could cause injuries.

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Pregnant women should also always use a

lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion

should be positioned as low as possible

on the hips to avoid any possible pres-

sure on the abdomen.

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Never place your feet on the instrument

panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always

keep both feet on the floor in front of the

seat.

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When using a seat belt to secure infant or

toddler restraints or children in booster

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Occupant safety

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Safety.

seats, always follow the child seat man-

ufacturer’s instructions.

Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)

and seat belt force limiters

The seat belts are equipped with Emer-

gency Tensioning Devices and seat belt

force limiters.
Emergency Tensioning Devices are

designed to activate in the following

cases:

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in frontal or rear-end impacts exceed-

ing the system deployment threshold

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if the restraint systems are operational

and functioning correctly

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in collisions with high vehicle decel-

eration/acceleration in the longitudi-

nal direction, e.g. a head-on collision

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on passenger side when the seat is occu-

pied and the seat belt is fastened

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independently of the front air bags

When activated, Emergency Tensioning

Devices remove slack from the seat belts in

such a way that the seat belts fit more

snugly against the body. Seat belt force

limiters, when activated, reduce the force

exerted by the seat belts on occupants dur-

ing a crash.
When the emergency tensioning device is

triggered, the SRS indicator lamp 6 in

the instrument cluster illuminates, see

“SRS indicator lamp” (

Y

page 169).

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WARNING

Once they have been triggered, Emergency

Tensioning Devices will no longer function

properly and must be replaced. smart rec-

ommends that you visit a qualified work-

shop to have this done. In particular, work

relevant to safety or on safety-related sys-

tems must be carried out at a qualified

specialist workshop.
Comply with safety regulations when dis-

posing of Emergency Tensioning Devices.

These regulations are available at any

smart center.

The belt force limiter is designed to oper-

ate in unison with the front air bag, which

absorbs a portion of the seat belt’s decel-

erating forces, distributing the load over

a larger area.
In the event of a head-on or rear-end col-

lision, the emergency tensioning device is

activated if the vehicle is decelerated or

accelerated sufficiently in the longitudi-

nal direction at the start of impact with the

ignition switched on.

Air bags

Air bags can reduce the severity of inju-

ries in serious collisions, e.g. in a head-

on collision or a side impact.

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WARNING

Air bags are designed to reduce the poten-

tial of injury in certain frontal impacts

(front air bags and knee bags), or side

impacts (head-thorax air bags, window

curtain air bags and thorax-pelvis air

bags) which may cause significant inju-

ries. However, no system available today

can completely eliminate injuries and

fatalities.
The deployment of the air bags temporarily

releases a small amount of dust from the air

bags. This dust is neither injurious to your

health, nor does it indicate a fire in the

vehicle. The dust might cause some tempo-

rary breathing difficulty for people with

asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid

this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle

as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any

breathing difficulty but cannot get out of

the vehicle after the air bag inflates, then

get fresh air by opening a window or door.

G

WARNING

To reduce the risk of injury when the front

air bags inflate, it is very important for

Occupant safety

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Safety.

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the driver and passenger to always be in a

properly seated position and to wear their

respective seat belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a

collision always be in normal seated posi-

tion with your back against the backrest.

Fasten your seat belt and ensure it is prop-

erly positioned on your body.
Since the air bag inflates with considera-

ble speed and force, a proper seating and

hands on steering wheel position will help

to keep you at a safe distance from the air

bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position

or too close to the air bag can be seriously

injured or killed by an air bag as it

inflates extremely quickly and with great

force:

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Sit properly belted in a position that is

as upright as possible with your back

against the seat backrest.

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Adjust the driver’s seat as far as possible

rearward, still permitting proper oper-

ation of vehicle controls. The distance

from the center of the driver’s breast-

bone to the center of the air bag cover on

the steering wheel must be at least

10 inches (25 cm) or more. You should be

able to accomplish this by adjustments to

the seat. If you have any problems, please

contact an authorized electric drive

smart center.

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Do not lean your head or chest close to the

steering wheel or dashboard.

R

Keep hands on the outside of the steering

wheel rim. Placing hands and arms inside

the rim can increase the risk and poten-

tial severity of hand/arm injury when the

driver’s front air bag inflates.

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Adjust the passenger seat as far as pos-

sible rearward from the dashboard when

the seat is occupied.

R

Occupants, especially children, should

never place their bodies or lean their

heads in the area of the door where the

head-thorax air bag (cabriolet) or

thorax-pelvis side air bag (coupé)

inflates. This could result in serious

injuries or death should the head-thorax

air bag (cabriolet) or thorax-pelvis side

air bag (coupé) be deployed. Always sit as

upright as possible, wear the seat belt

properly and use an appropriately sized

infant restraint, toddler restraint, or

booster seat recommended for the size

and weight of the child.

Failure to follow these instructions can

result in severe injuries to you or other

occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that

you make the buyer aware of this safety

information. Be sure to give the buyer this

Operator’s Manual.

i

Air bags are designed to deploy only in

certain frontal impacts (front air bags

and knee bags), or side impacts (head-

thorax air bags, window curtain air bags

and thorax-pelvis air bags) which

exceed preset thresholds. Only during

these events will they provide their sup-

plemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always

wear their seat belts. Otherwise it is not

possible for air bags to provide their

supplemental protection.
In case of other types of impacts and

impacts below air bag deployment

thresholds, air bags will not deploy. The

driver and passenger will then be pro-

tected to the extent possible by a prop-

erly fastened seat belt. A properly fas-

tened seat belt is also needed to provide

the best possible protection in a roll-

over.
We caution you not to rely on the presence

of the air bags in order to avoid wearing

your seat belt.
It is important to your safety and that of

your passenger that you replace deployed

air bags and repair any malfunctioning

air bags to make sure the vehicle will

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Occupant safety

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Safety.

continue to provide supplemental crash

protection for occupants.

Safety guidelines for the seat belt,

Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)

and air bag

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WARNING

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Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have

been highly stressed in an accident must

be replaced and their anchoring points

must also be checked. Only use seat belts

installed or supplied by an authorized

electric drive smart center.

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Air bags and Emergency Tensioning

Devices (ETDs) contain Perchlorate

material, which may require special

handling and regard for the environment.

Check with your local government’s dis-

posal guidelines. California residents,

see http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/

HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/index.cfm .

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Given the considerable deployment

speed, required inflation volume, and

the textile structure of the air bags,

there is the possibility of abrasions or

other, potentially more serious injuries

resulting from air bag deployment.

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Air bags and Emergency Tensioning

Devices (ETDs) are designed to function

on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or

ETD that has deployed must be replaced.

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Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.

They could tear.

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Do not make any modification that could

change the effectiveness of the seat

belts.

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No modifications of any kind may be made

to any components or wiring of the SRS.

This includes changing or removing any

component or part of the SRS, the instal-

lation of additional trim material,

badges, etc. over the steering wheel hub,

passenger front air bag cover, outboard

sides of the seat backrests, and instal-

lation of additional electrical/elec-

tronic equipment on or near SRS compo-

nents and wiring. Keep area between air

bags and occupants free from objects

(e.g. packages, purses, umbrellas, etc.).

R

Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may

severely weaken them. In a crash they may

not be able to provide adequate protec-

tion.

R

Do not hang hangers on the coat hooks or

handles over the door. These items may

turn into projectiles and cause head and

other injuries when the head-thorax air

bag is deployed.

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Air bag system components will be hot

after an air bag has inflated. Do not touch

them.

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Never place your feet on the instrument

panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always

keep both feet on the floor in front of the

seat.

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In addition, improper repair work on the

SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS

inoperative or causing unintended air

bag deployment. Work on the SRS must

therefore only be performed by qualified

technicians. Contact an authorized elec-

tric drive smart center.

R

For your protection and the protection of

others, when scrapping the air bag unit

or Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs),

our safety instructions must be followed.

These instructions are available from

any authorized electric drive smart cen-

ter.

How an air bag operates

An air bag is inflated in a matter of mil-

liseconds. If an air bag is triggered, the

SRS indicator lamp 6 in the instrument

cluster illuminates.

!

If the air bags are activated, you will

hear a loud noise and some dust may be

generated. The explosion fundamentally

represents no risk to your hearing.

Occupant safety

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Safety.

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An inflated air bag slows down and reduces

the movement of the occupant. When the

occupant makes contact with a front air bag

or head-thorax air bag (cabriolet only),

hot gas flows out of the inflated front air

bags and head-thorax air bags (cabriolet

only). This reduces the load on the occu-

pant’s head and upper body. These air bags

are consequently deflated after the acci-

dent.

Driver front air bag/passenger front air

bag

The front air bags are designed to reduce

the potential of injury in certain frontal

impacts.
Driver front air bag and passenger front

air bag are deployed

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at the start of an accident with high

vehicle deceleration in the longitudinal

direction

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independently of other air bags in the

vehicle being deployed

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never in the event of a rollover, unless

high vehicle deceleration in the longi-

tudinal direction is detected

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The front air bags in this vehicle have

been designed to inflate in two stages.

This allows the air bag to have different

rates of inflation that are based on the

rate of relevant vehicle deceleration

and a fastened or unfastened seat belt as

assessed by the air bag control unit.
On the passenger side, the front air bag

deployment is additionally influenced

by the passenger’s weight category as

identified by the Occupant Classifica-

tion System (OCS) (

Y

page 39).

The lighter the passenger side occupant,

the higher the vehicle deceleration rate

required for the second stage inflation

of the air bag.

The air bags will not deploy in impacts

which do not exceed the system’s deploy-

ment thresholds. In such instances, the seat

belts are designed to protect you.
The passenger air bag will only be

deployed if

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the system, based on OCS weight sensor

readings, senses that the passenger seat

is occupied and the 4 0

indicator lamp is not lit (

Y

page 41)

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the impact exceeds a preset deployment

threshold

The driver front air bag is located in the

steering wheel housing, the passenger

front air bag above the glove box.

:

Driver front air bag

;

Passenger front air bag

Knee bags

:

Driver’s knee bag

;

Passenger knee bag

The knee bags are designed to provide

increased protection for the driver and

passenger against the risk of injuries to

the knees, thighs and lower legs. The knee

bags are located on the lower instrument

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Occupant safety

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Safety.

panel. They are designed to operate

together with the front air bags in certain

frontal impacts if the system determines

that air bag deployment can offer addi-

tional protection to that provided by the

seat belts. Knee bags operate best in con-

junction with a properly positioned and

fastened seat belts.

Head-thorax air bags (cabriolet only)

G

WARNING

There is a possibility for a head-thorax air

bag related injury if occupants, especially

children, are not properly seated or

restrained when next to a head-thorax air

bag which needs to deploy rapidly in a side

impact in order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury,

please follow these guidelines:

(1)

Occupants, especially children,

should never place their bodies

or lean their heads in the area of

the door where the head-thorax

air bag inflates. This could

result in serious injuries or

death should the head-thorax air

bag be deployed.

(2)

Always sit as upright as possi-

ble, properly use the seat belts,

and for all children 12 years old

or under, use an appropriately

sized infant restraint, toddler

restraint, or booster seat rec-

ommended for the size and

weight of the child.

(3)

Always wear seat belts properly.

G

WARNING

Only use seat covers which have been tested

and approved by smart for your vehicle

model. A seat cover must have a deployment

control seam for the head-thorax air bag.

Using other seat covers may interfere with

or prevent the deployment of the head-

thorax air bags. Contact an authorized

electric drive smart center for availabil-

ity.

If activated, the head-thorax air bags are

intended to provide increased protection

for the head and thorax (but not arms) of the

occupants on the side of the vehicle that is

struck.
The head-thorax air bags are deployed

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on the side of the vehicle that is struck

(when passenger side is struck only if the

seat is occupied)

R

at the start of an accident with high

vehicle deceleration or acceleration

acting in a lateral direction, e.g. a side

impact

R

regardless of whether or not the seat belt

is in use

R

independently of the front air bags

being deployed

R

independently of the emergency tension-

ing device

The head-thorax air bags are integrated

into the driver and passenger seat backr-

ests.

:

Head-thorax air bag

Window curtain air bags and thorax-pel-

vis side air bags (coupé only)

G

WARNING

There is a possibility for a thorax-pelvis

side air bag related injury if occupants,

especially children, are not properly

seated or restrained when next to a thorax-

Occupant safety

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Safety.

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pelvis side air bag which needs to deploy

rapidly in a side impact in order to do its

job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury,

please follow these guidelines:

(1)

Occupants, especially children,

should never place their bodies

or lean their heads in the area of

the door where the thorax-pelvis

side air bag inflates. This could

result in serious injuries or

death should the thorax-pelvis

side air bag be deployed.

(2)

Always sit as upright as possi-

ble, properly use the seat belts,

and for all children 12 years old

or under, use an appropriately

sized infant restraint, toddler

restraint, or booster seat rec-

ommended for the size and

weight of the child.

(3)

Always wear seat belts properly.

G

WARNING

Only use seat covers which have been tested

and approved by smart for your vehicle

model. A seat cover must have a deployment

control seam for the thorax-pelvis side air

bag. Using other seat covers may interfere

with or prevent the deployment of the

thorax-pelvis side air bags. Contact an

authorized electric drive smart center for

availability.

Window curtain air bags
Window curtain air bags are designed to

provide increased protection for the head,

but not the chest or arms.
Window curtain air bags are deployed

R

on the impacted side of the vehicle

R

in instances with a high rate of lateral

vehicle deceleration or acceleration

R

independently of the front air bags

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regardless of whether the passenger seat

is occupied

R

in a rollover if the system determines

that air bag deployment can offer addi-

tional protection to that provided by the

seat belt.

The window curtain air bags are integrated

into the inner side of the roof frame. They

run above the doors from the A-pillar to the

B-pillar.

:

Window curtain air bags

Thorax-pelvis side air bags
Thorax-pelvis side air bags are designed

to provide increased protection for the

thorax and pelvis, but not the arms.
Thorax-pelvis side air bags are deployed

R

on the impacted side of the vehicle

R

in instances with a high rate of lateral

vehicle deceleration or acceleration

R

independently of the front air bags

R

regardless of whether the seat belt on the

impacted side of the vehicle is in use

R

independently of the ETDs.

Thorax-pelvis side air bags will generally

not deploy in a rollover.
The thorax-pelvis side air bags will

deploy, however, if the system detects

R

a high rate of lateral vehicle decelera-

tion or acceleration, and

R

that air bag deployment can offer addi-

tional protection to that provided by the

seat belt.

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Occupant safety

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Safety.

The thorax-pelvis side air bags are inte-

grated into the driver and passenger seat

backrests.

:

Thorax-pelvis side air bags

Occupant Classification System

The Occupant Classification System (OCS)

automatically turns the passenger front air

bag on or off based on the classified occu-

pant weight category determined by weight

sensor readings from the passenger seat.

i

Based on the classified occupant

weight category determined by weight

sensor readings from the passenger seat,

the system does also deactivate

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head-thorax air bag (cabriolet)

R

the window curtain air bag (coupé)

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the thorax-pelvis side air bag (coupé)

R

the seat Emergency Tensioning Devi-

ces

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the seat belt force limiter.

Occupants must sit properly belted in a

position that is as upright as possible with

their back against the seat backrest and

feet on the floor to be correctly classified.

If the occupant’s weight is transferred to

another object in the vehicle (e.g. by lean-

ing on armrests), the OCS may not be able to

properly approximate the occupant’s

weight category.

i

If the seat, including the trim cover and

cushion, needs to be serviced in any way,

take the vehicle to an authorized elec-

tric drive smart center. Only seat acces-

sories approved by smart may be used.
Both driver and the passenger should

always use the 4 0 indicator

lamp as an indication of whether or not

the passenger is properly positioned

(

Y

page 41).

G

WARNING

If the 4 0 indicator lamp illu-

minates when an adult or someone larger

than a small individual is in the passenger

seat, have the passenger re-position him-

self or herself in the seat until the

4 0 indicator lamp goes out.
In the event of a collision, the air bag con-

trol unit will not allow passenger front air

bag deployment when the OCS has classified

the passenger seat occupant as being up to

or less than the weight of a typical

12‑month‑old child in a standard child

restraint, or if the passenger seat is

sensed as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat

occupant is classified as being up to or

less than the weight of a typical

12‑month‑old child in a standard child

restraint, the 4 0 indicator

lamp will illuminate when the ignition is

switched on and remain illuminated, indi-

cating that the passenger front air bag is

deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat

is classified as being empty, the

4 0 indicator lamp will illu-

minate and remains illuminated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat

occupant is classified as being heavier

than the weight of a typical 12‑month‑old

child seated in a standard child restraint

or as being a small individual (such as a

young teenager or a small adult), the

4 0 indicator lamp will illu-

minate for approximately 4 seconds when

the ignition is switched on and then,

depending on occupant weight sensor read-

Occupant safety

39

>>

Safety.

Z

ings from the seat, remains illuminated or

goes out.
When the 4 0 indicator lamp is

illuminated, the passenger front air bag is

deactivated.
When the 4 0 indicator lamp is

out and the passenger seat is occupied by an

adult or someone larger than a small indi-

vidual, the passenger front air bag is acti-

vated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat

occupant is classified as an adult or some-

one larger than a small individual, the

4 0 indicator lamp will illu-

minate for approximately 4 seconds when

the ignition is switched on and then goes

out, indicating that the passenger front air

bag is activated.
If the 4 0 indicator lamp is

illuminated, the passenger front air bag is

deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the 4 0 indicator lamp is not

illuminated, the passenger front air bag is

activated and will be deployed

R

in the event of certain frontal impacts

R

if impact exceeds a preset deployment

threshold

R

independently of the head-thorax air

bags

If the passenger front air bag is deployed,

the rate of inflation will be influenced by

R

the rate of vehicle deceleration and a

fastened or unfastened seat belt as

assessed by the air bag control unit

R

the passenger’s weight category as iden-

tified by the OCS

G

WARNING

Children 12 years old and under must be

seated and properly secured in an appro-

priate infant or child restraint recommen-

ded for the size and weight of the child.
The infant or child restraint must be prop-

erly secured with the vehicle’s seat belt,

fully in accordance with the child seat

manufacturer’s instructions.
Children can be killed or seriously injured

by an inflating air bag. Note the following

important information:

R

Your vehicle is equipped with air bag

technology designed to turn off the

passenger front air bag in your vehicle

when the system senses the weight of a

typical 12‑month‑old child or less along

with the weight of a standard appropri-

ate child restraint on the passenger seat.

R

A child in a rear-facing child restraint

on the passenger seat will be seriously

injured or even killed if the passenger

front air bag inflates in a collision

which could occur under some circum-

stances, even with the air bag technology

installed in your vehicle.

R

If you install a rear-facing child

restraint on the passenger seat, make

sure the 4 0 indicator lamp

is illuminated, indicating that the

passenger front air bag is deactivated.

Should the 4 0 indicator

lamp not illuminate or go out while the

restraint is installed, please check

installation.
Periodically check the 4 0

indicator lamp while driving to make

sure the 4 0 indicator lamp

is illuminated.
If the 4 0 indicator lamp

goes out or remains out, do not transport

a child on the passenger seat until the

system has been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint

on the passenger seat may be seriously

injured or even killed if the passenger

front air bag inflates.

R

If you place a child in a forward-facing

child restraint on the passenger seat,

move the seat as far back as possible, use

the proper child restraint recommended

for the age, size and weight of the child

40

Occupant safety

>>

Safety.

by the seat manufacturer, and secure

child restraint with the vehicle’s seat

belt according to the child seat manu-

facturer’s instructions. For children

larger than the typical 12‑month‑old

child, the passenger front air bag may or

may not be activated.

i

Deployment of the driver front air bag

does not mean that the passenger front

air bag also should have deployed.

The Occupant Classification System may

have determined

R

that the seat was empty or occupied by the

weight up to or less than that of a typical

12‑month‑old child seated in a standard

child restraint — both instances where

the system suppresses deployment of the

passenger front air bag even though the

impact met the criteria and was of suf-

ficient severity to deploy the driver

front air bag

R

that the seat was occupied by a small

individual (such as a young teenager or a

small adult) or a child weighing more

than the weight of a typical 12‑month‑old

child in a standard child restraint —

instances where the system may suppress

deployment of the passenger front air

bag even though the impact met the cri-

teria and was of sufficient severity to

deploy the driver front air bag

Passenger front air bag off indicator

lamp

The indicator lamp is located on the over-

head control panel.

Passenger front air bag off indicator

lamp : illuminates when the passenger

front air bag is deactivated.

G

WARNING

When the SRS indicator lamp 6 and the

4 0 indicator lamp are lit at

the same time, there is a malfunction in the

Occupant Classification System.
In order to ensure proper operation of the

air bag system and OCS:

R

Have the system checked as soon as pos-

sible by qualified technicians. Contact

an authorized electric drive smart cen-

ter.

R

Sit properly belted in a position that is

as upright as possible with your back

against the seat backrest.

R

Do not lean on the armrests or lift your-

self from the seat by using the handle

over the door as this may cause the OCS to

be unable to correctly approximate the

occupant weight category.

R

Only have the seat repaired or replaced

by an authorized electric drive smart

center.

R

Read and observe all warnings in this

chapter.

Self-test Occupant Classification Sys-

tem

After turning the key in the starter switch

to position 1 or 2, the 4 0

indicator lamp located in the center con-

sole illuminates. If an adult occupant is

Occupant safety

41

>>

Safety.

Z

properly sitting on the passenger seat and

the system senses the occupant as being an

adult, the 4 0 indicator lamp

will illuminate and go out after approx-

imately 4 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system

senses the passenger seat as being empty,

the 4 0 indicator lamp will

illuminate and not go out.

G

WARNING

If the 4 0 indicator lamp does

not illuminate immediately after switch-

ing on the drive system, the system is not

functioning. You must contact an author-

ized electric drive smart center before

seating any child on the passenger seat.

More information can be found in the

“Practical hints” section (

Y

page 175).

G

WARNING

Never place anything between seat cushion

and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it

reduces the effectiveness of the Occupant

Classification System. The bottom of the

child seat must make full contact with the

passenger seat cushion. An incorrectly

mounted child seat could cause injuries to

the child in case of an accident, instead of

increasing protection for the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for

installation of child seats.

Children in the vehicle

If an infant or child is traveling with you

in the vehicle:

X

Secure the child using an infant or child

restraint appropriate to the age and size

of the child.

X

Make sure the infant or child is properly

secured at all times while the vehicle is

in motion.

G

WARNING

Do not leave children unattended in the

vehicle, even if they are secured in a child

restraint system. The children could

R

injure themselves on parts of the vehicle

R

be seriously or fatally injured through

excessive exposure to extreme heat or

cold

Do not expose the child restraint system to

direct sunlight. The child restraint sys-

tem’s metal parts, for example, could

become very hot, and the child could be

burned on these parts.
If children open a door, they could

R

injure other persons

R

get out of the vehicle and injure them-

selves or be injured by following traffic

Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the

passenger compartment unless they are

firmly secured in place.
For more information, please refer to the

“Loading and storing section”.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo

increases a child’s risk of injury in the

event of

R

strong braking maneuvers

R

sudden changes of direction

R

an accident

Infant and child restraint system

We recommend all infants and children be

properly restrained at all times while the

vehicle is in operation.
The passenger lap-shoulder belt has a spe-

cial seat belt retractor for secure fasten-

ing of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow all

mounting instructions provided by the

child restraint manufacturer. Then pull the

shoulder seat belt out completely and let it

retract. During seat belt retraction, a

ratcheting sound can be heard to indicate

that the special seat belt retractor is acti-

42

Occupant safety

>>

Safety.

vated. The seat belt is now locked. Push

down on child restraint to take up any

slack.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and

let seat belt retract completely. To deac-

tivate the special seat belt retractor for

the passenger seat, the passenger seat must

be in the most backward position. The seat

belt can again be used in the usual manner.

G

WARNING

Never release the seat belt buckle while the

vehicle is in motion, since the special seat

belt retractor will be deactivated.

The use of infant or child restraints is

required by law in all 50 states, the Dis-

trict of Columbia, the U.S. territories, and

all Canadian provinces and territories.
Infants and small children should be seated

in an appropriate infant or child restraint

system properly secured in accordance

with the manufacturer’s instructions for

the child restraint, that complies with U.S.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213

and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety

Standards 213, 213.1 and 213.2.
A statement by the child restraint manu-

facturer of compliance with these stand-

ards can be found on the instruction label

on the restraint and in the instruction

manual provided with the restraint.
When using any infant restraint, toddler

restraint, or booster seat be sure to care-

fully read and follow all manufacturer’s

instructions for installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels

affixed to the inside of the vehicle and to

infant or child restraints.

G

WARNING

Children 12 years old and under must be

seated and properly secured in an appro-

priately sized infant restraint, toddler

restraint, or booster seat recommended for

the size and weight of the child.

The infant or child restraint must be prop-

erly secured with the vehicle’s seat belt

fully in accordance with the child seat

manufacturer’s instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should

never place their bodies or lean their

heads in the area of the door where the

head-thorax air bags (cabriolet), window

curtain air bags (coupé) and thorax-pelvis

air bags (coupé) inflates. This could result

in serious injuries or death should the

head-thorax air bags (cabriolet), window

curtain air bags (coupé) and thorax-pelvis

air bags (coupé) be triggered. Always sit as

upright as possible, properly use the seat

belt and use an appropriately sized infant

restraint, toddler restraint, or booster

seat recommended for the size and weight of

the child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured

by an inflating air bag. Note the following

important information when circumstances

require you to place a child in the

passenger seat:

R

Your vehicle is equipped with air bag

technology designed to turn off the

passenger front air bag in your vehicle

when the Occupant Classification System

senses the weight of a typical

12‑month‑old child or less along with the

weight of an appropriate child restraint

on the passenger seat.

R

A child in a rear-facing child restraint

on the passenger seat may be seriously

injured or even killed if the passenger

front air bag inflates in a collision.

R

If you install a rear-facing child

restraint on the passenger seat, make

sure the 4 0 indicator lamp

is illuminated, indicating that the

passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 4 0 indicator

lamp not illuminate or go out while the

restraint is installed, please check

installation. Periodically check the

4 0 indicator lamp while

Occupant safety

43

>>

Safety.

Z

driving to make sure the 4 0

indicator lamp is illuminated. If the

4 0 indicator lamp goes out

or remains out, do not transport a child

on the passenger seat until the system has

been repaired. A child in a rear-facing

child restraint on the passenger seat may

be seriously injured or even killed if the

passenger front air bag inflates.

R

If you place a child in a forward-facing

child restraint on the passenger seat,

move the seat as far back as possible, use

a proper child restraint recommended

for the age, size and weight of the child,

and secure child restraint with the vehi-

cle’s seat belt according to the child seat

manufacturer’s instructions. For chil-

dren larger than the typical

12‑month‑old child, the passenger front

air bag may or may not be activated.

G

WARNING

Infants and small children should never

share a seat belt with another occupant.

During an accident, they could be crushed

between the occupant and seat belt.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is

significantly increased if the child

restraints are not properly secured in the

vehicle and/or the child is not properly

secured in the child restraint.
Children too big for a toddler restraint

must ride in a seat using regular seat belt.
Position shoulder belt across chest and

shoulder, not face or neck. A booster seat

may be necessary to achieve proper seat

belt positioning for children over 41 lbs

until they reach a height where a lap-

shoulder belt fits properly without a boos-

ter.
When the child restraint is not in use,

remove it from the vehicle or secure it with

the seat belt to prevent the child restraint

from becoming a projectile in the event of

an accident.

Do not leave children unattended in the

vehicle, even if the children are secured in

a child restraint system. Unsupervised

children in a child restraint system may

use vehicle equipment and may cause an

accident and/or serious personal injury.

If you are using a rear-facing child

restraint system on the passenger seat, you

must verify that the passenger front air bag

is deactivated. When the passenger front

air bag is deactivated, the 4 0

indicator lamp is illuminated (

Y

page 41).

Top tether
Top tether permits an additional connec-

tion between a child restraint system and

the passenger seat. Proper usage of the top

tether, in accordance with instructions

provided by the child restraint manufac-

turer, can further reduce the risk of inju-

ries.
The top tether anchorage is located on the

floor of the cargo compartment. The top

tether guide for the top tether strap is

located above, on the head restraint.

44

Occupant safety

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Safety.